Employing Older Workers Report - October 2018
October 2018
Supported by the Australian Human Rights Commission, this is the third research report surveying AHRI members on employing older workers. Research shows that people are now living increasingly longer lives, with purposeful employment one way to ensure they remain connected and energised. Extending peoples’ working lives is also a bipartisan policy imperative of successive governments. However, workplace age discrimination undermines this objective. View infographic
Key Findings
This report is based on a survey of AHRI members conducted in July – August 2018 in association with the Australian Human Rights Commission. Similar surveys were conducted in 2012 and 2014 by AHRI.
A majority (63 per cent) of respondents classify an older worker as 61 years of age or older, an upwards shift since 2014.
More than one in three respondents (34 per cent) believe there is no difference between older and younger workers technology skills and abilities, 14 per cent more than in 2014.
While more than a third of respondents in 2014 (35 per cent) expect to retire between 60–65 years of age, 37 per cent in 2018 expect to retire between 66–70 years of age. Across all categories, there was an increase in responses indicating no differences between generations.
Flexible work is the top reason respondents cite that would encourage them to remain in the workforce, increasing 8 per cent since 2014.
Flexible working hours is the most common tool organisations use to retain older workers (76 per cent).
More than half (56 per cent) of respondent organisations do not have a transition-to-retirement strategy in place.
Respondents indicate the main advantages of recruiting older workers are the experience they bring (76 per cent) and the professional knowledge they have acquired (68 per cent).
Fewer 2018 respondents than 2014 report their organisation ensures that job advertising content attracts a full range of ages, and that date of birth details are excluded from job application forms.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Utpala Menon
Senior Account Manager, Mahlab
[email protected]
0497 588 042